Strawberries and sports cars

Anyone at the Florida Strawberry Festival can win a Corvette in Unity in the Community’s annual raffle.

The team of Stingray Chevrolet and Unity in the Community is once again giving Florida Strawberry Festival-goers the chance to win a brand new 2018 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport through Unity’s annual $5 raffle, from which proceeds get pumped into Plant City-area charities for their benefit.

This year marks the ninth of Unity and Stingray’s raffle partnership and the fourth consecutive year the prize has been some kind of Corvette. The 2018 Corvette is identical to last year’s torch red Grand Sport, though it’s one year newer.

With a 460-horsepower V8 engine, the car is a good pickup for anyone with the need for speed. It’s got an eight-speed paddle shift automatic transmission and can go from zero to 60 miles per hour in less than four seconds. This Corvette would have a retail price of around $68,000, but Stingray would still donate the car without any catches even if the raffle doesn’t net as much money as the car itself costs.

Making enough to eclipse the raffle cars’ retail value hasn’t been a problem, though. Donation totals have increased every year and, in 2017, the raffle set another new record with $222,000 raised — the first time it’s crossed the $200,000 threshold. Throughout raffle history, Stingray’s cars have netted Plant City-area charities a cool $1,052,000.

Tickets can be purchased at Stingray Chevrolet, 2002 N. Frontage Road, during normal business hours from March 1 through 6 p.m. March 9, online by 1 p.m. March 9 at StingrayChevroletRaffle.com or at the festival during normal hours of operation from March 1 through 4:30 p.m. March 11. A maximum of 50 tickets are allowed per person. The winner will be drawn at 5 p.m. March 11 at the festival grounds, but the winner does not need to be present to receive the car.